More details were released concerning a safety check made Tuesday morning at Indiana Junior High School.
In a joint statement from Indiana Borough Police, the Indiana school district and Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi, the DA’s office will file a petition of charges against a juvenile in connection with the incident. The school district had received a Safe 2 Say Something report on Tuesday morning between 6:30 and 7:00, asking that all eighth graders’ backpacks be searched. School officials notified the police immediately and officers were dispatched to the school. During the investigation, police found a Snapchat post from Sunday that showed a known Junior High student in possession of a stolen firearm. The mother of that student was notified by another parent about the picture, and returned the stolen firearm.
Police had not been notified about this over the weekend, but when the Safe 2 Say Something report was received, law enforcement were able to determine the purpose of the report. The suspect was then separated from the rest of the student population as officers continued to investigate. Out of an abundance of caution, the district continued to search students as they entered the facility. The district did have counselors available to talk with students throughout the day, and police maintained a presence at the school for the whole day.
The identity of the suspect, the charges that the student faces and any outcomes from this will not be released as the suspect is a minor.
Authorities continue to encourage people to use the Safe 2 Say system to notify authorities about suspicious behavior.
